Greetings from Swaziland. We wanted to share with you a serious challenge we encountered last week.

Last week we were preparing for a trip to South Africa to purchase some farm equipment. I (Tommy) went into town to get some cash for the purchase. I withdrew approximately $1,500 US dollars from the bank. In South African rand, this amount of money stacks up to be a few inches thick, making it quite difficult to get around unnoticed. I locked the bills in the glove compartment of our truck as I ran inside a restaurant to get lunch. By the time I returned, all of the money was gone. As you can imagine, this was quite a shocking, disheartening, and disorienting experience. I went back to the bank with the police to look at the security video and saw that I had been followed by a group of men from the minute I walked into the bank. Though the money is gone, we have so much to be thankful for in terms of what did not happen. No physical confrontation, no damage to the truck (they likely used a “blocking device” to keep the truck from locking), and no one following me home. Please pray for justice moving forward as we continue to work with the police to resolve the case. Pray for us—that we will not become cynical towards the people here, and that our hearts would remain soft towards those we live with, minister to, and work with.

This event has caused a serious setback in our efforts to increase the efficiency and productivity of the farm, which is essential to support the orphans at New Life Homes. Would you consider giving a special gift to help recover this significant loss? Visit africanleadershippartners.org/support to make a special contribution. Please direct your contributions to “Tommy and Mandi Bottoms Support.”

Your support has already made a huge difference here. Whether it’s purchasing farm equipment, donating books or teaching resources, sponsoring a child’s medical care, or launching a youth ministry–know that your gifts go far and we give thanks for you every day!